THE SHERIDANS said they purchased the Dalkey property, then a fisherman’s cottage, in 1997 with the aim of developing a new house and rockpool on the site.
It is claimed de Blacam were formally appointed as architects in August/September 2000 and designed a four-bedroomed house with its own seawater swimming pool.
In 2002, Hollingworth was appointed project manager and in 2003, an agreement was reached with Gilmac, which the Sheridans claim was recommended to them by Hollingworth, to build the house and pool for €2.2 million.
In November 2002, Walsh Goodfellow was appointed as structural engineers to the works and allegedly specified a Cementaid Everdure Caltite System be installed to render the building watertight.
It is alleged that Gilmac was engaged by either or both of the Moortown companies as a sub-contractor to lay the Caltite system, allegedly supplied by Cementaid.
The Sheridans claim the concrete works were completed on site in May 2004 by Cementaid which provided a performance guarantee over those works.
They also claim De Blacam issued a certificate of practical completion for the property in July 2005.
It is alleged there was no reference to water ingress in that certificate despite, it is claimed, de Blacam being aware of water in light walls in the lower ground floor.
De Blacam later wrote to Hollingworth alleging defective works by Gilmac and asking Hollingworth to deal with it, it is claimed.
De Blacam also wrote to Gilmac on several occasions requiring it to return to do remedial works primarily related to water ingress, it is also claimed.